Can emergency endangered species protecting bring the Miami blue back from the edge of extinction?

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — A delicate blue Florida butterfly that’s been buffeted by hurricanes, habitat loss and invasive species now has the full protection of the Endangered Species Act — but will it be enough to save the tiny insect.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced this week that the Miami blue butterfly gets emergency protection under the landmark environmental law, but only a few known remnant populations remain, mainly in the Florida Keys. The butterfly was thought to be extinct after Hurricane Andrew hit the area in 1992. Whether or not the protections will enable the species to recover remains to be seen, but at least the butterfly now has a fighting chance, according to the environmental group that pushed the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to make the listing.